Air-compressor



W. C. HAMPTON.

AIR COMPRESSOR. APPLICATION FILED JULY 4. 1919.

. Patented J une 22, 1920,

. 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

BY VIM/70mph IN VEN TOR.

WITNESS.

ATTORNEY.

w. c. HAMPTON. 2

AIR COMPRESSOR; APPLICATION FILED JULY 4' 1919- v Patented June 22, 1920.

2 8HEETSSHEET 2.

' WITNESS:

2 22% v A TTORNE Y.

WILLIAM C. HAMPTON, OF NORTH MANCHESTER, INDIANA.

AIR-COMPRESSOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 22, 1920.

Application filed July 14, 1919. Serial No. 310,535.

' fication.

The object of my present invention is the provision of a centrifugal air compressor in which the entire compressor is revoluble as a unit with a view to averting friction without interfering with the efficiency of the apparatus, and this notwithstanding the simplicity of the construction and the facility with which access may be gained to any of the inner parts, when the same is necessary.

Other objects and practical advantages of the invention will be fully understood from the following description and claims when the same are read in connection with the drawings, accompanying and forming part of this specification, in which:

Figure 1 is a diametrical section of a centrifugal air compressor constituting the best practical embodiment of my invention that I have as yet devised.

Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the compressor.

Fig. 3 is a transverse section taken in the plane indicated by the line 3-3 of Fig. 1, looking toward the left and with the annular diaphragm partly broken away.

Fig. 4 is a transverse section taken in the plane indicated by the line 4- l of Fig. 1, looking toward the left.

Similar numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in all of the views of the drawings.

it one endi. 0., the eduction end of the compressor, the same is provided with a flanged head 1, from the center of which extends a combined eduction conduit and journal 2. This latter is disposed in a standard 3, and has its outer end carried through a stufling boX 4 in one wall of a conduit 5 which is disposed upon a support 6 and is designed to extend to any desired point where the compressed air is to be used or stored under pressure. When desired the conduit 5 may be provided with a non-return valve 7 arranged to seat toward the compressor. The opposite end of the compressor with reference to the eduction head 1 is provided with an annular induction head 8. This latter is fixed with respect to combined spokes and fan blades 9, and said blades and spokes 9 are fixed, in turn, to an enlargement 10 on a journal 11 which is journaled in a standard 12 and is provided with a band pulley 13 or other equipment for the connection thereof with a motor (not illustrated). Incidental to the operation of the compressor as hereinafter set forth, the rapid rotation of the head 8 will enable the combined blades and spokes 9 to force air into the compressor through the orifice in the center of the said head 8.

Interposed between the heads 1 and 8 is a cylinder :20 on which are flanges 21 opposed to and connected by bolts and nuts with the heads 1 and 8. Contained within the cylinder 20 and closely fitting against the inner side thereof are spacing rings 22, and interposed between the said spacing rings and also between the right hand spacing ring and the head 8, are annular diaphragms 30. By virtue of the arrangement just referred to, it will be manifest that the spacing rings 22 and the annular diaphragms 30 may, by tightening of the bolts, be clamped between the heads 1 and 8 so as to assure the spacing rings 22 and the diaphragms 30 rotating as a unit with the cylinder 20. It will also be observed that notwithstanding the clampof the spacing rings and the annular diaphragms in the manner described, access may be readily gained to the said spacing rings and annular diaphragms when one of the heads is disconnected and removed from the cylinder 20.

Each of the annular diaphragms 30 is provided with a plurality of radially disposed blades O which extend laterally at right angles and toward the left from the diaphragm. Formed integral with or otherwise fixed with respect to the edges of each series of blades 40, remote from the annular diaphragm 30 by which the blades are carried, is an imperforate diaphragm 50. The perimeters of the said imperforate diaphragms 50 are preferably arranged coinident with the outer ends of the blades 40, which ends are spaced about the proportional distance illustrated from the cylinder 20 or rather from the inner surface of the particular spacing ring 22 that is opposite the outer ends of the blades. In consequence of this it will be noted that passages are afforded to enable the air to pass from the right hand side of each imperfojournals illustrated, whereupon the air that.

is forced by the blades 9 through the induction orifice in the annular head 8 will be forced radially outward by centrifugal action plus the blades d0 of the first diaphragm 30 toward the right, and will then be forced longitudinally toward the left through the space between the first diaphragm 50 at the right, and then inwardly through the space 51 at the right, and then through the central orifice in the second diaphragm 30 from the right, and so on until the air reaches the chamber 70 at the left hand side of the last imperforate diaphragm 50 toward the left, when the air will be compressed to considerable degree and may be put to any desired use. Manifestly any desired number of diaphragms 30 with blades 40 and imperforate diaphragms 50 on the blades may be incorporated in the compressor, according to the capacity that it is desired for the compressor to possess.

It will be apparent from the foregoing that by reason of my novel compressor being revolved in its entirety as a unit, undue friction" is averted, there is no liability of leakage from the compressor, the compressing operation is steady and continuous and is not attended by vibration, and the air is successively compressed by the series of compressing members, each including an annular diaphragm, blades carried by the annular diaphragm and extending laterally therefrom, and the imperforate diaphragm arranged at the opposite edges of the blades with reference to the annular diaphragm. It will also be apparent that the compressor is light in weight and is compact in construction, and at the same time has its elements so relatively arranged that any one of the compressing members may be readily removed and as readily replaced when occasion demands.

Having described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters-Patent, is:

1. A centrifugal air compressor mounted to rotate as a unit about its axis and comprising an annular induction head having ,a journal and combined spokes and fan blades between it and said journal, an educ tion head having a combined; conduit and journal, a flanged cylinder connected to said blades, a plurality of compressing members in the cylinder and between the heads and each made up of an annular diaphragm, an imperforate diaphragm spaced from and in parallelism with the annular diaphragm and of less diameter than the same, radial blades interposed between and fixed to said diaphragms, and spacing rings fitting snugly within the casing between the heads and also. between the annular diaphragms of the compressing members.

2. A centrifugal air compressor mounted torotate as a unit about its axis and having an annular induction head provided with a journal and combined spokes and fan blades between it and said journal, an eduction head having a combined conduit and jour nal, a cylinder connected to said heads, and a plurality of compressing members in the cylinder and between the heads and each including an annular diaphragm, an imperforate diaphragm spaced from and in parallelism with the annular diaphragm and of less diameter than the same and radial blades interposed between and fixed to said diaphragm. 

